39 Oneshots
by Kanastasia
Summary: Latest: Dreams. R: "You're alright Ted; I mean for an Ekat." T: "I don't mind you either; being the Tomas that you are."
1. Chapter 1

_Collections_

Eight-year old Natalie Kabra frowned under the heat of the sun. It was another one of those stupid Cahill Reunions where she was forced to mingle with _peasants_.

Most people would be surprised to see a little girl thinking these things. Of course they didn't have the influence of Isabel Vesper-Hollingsworth Kabra now, did they?

Natalie scowled as the heat of the sun intensified with the coming afternoon. She looked to the manor and contemplated going there just to escape from the heat. However the number of people there stopped her. Nothing was worse than _sweaty _peasants.

The little girl ran to the Cahill garden. The old lady, Gretel or Gale or something had hosted the event at her estate. It was vast but not that much compared to the Kabra estate.

The gardens were beautiful and exquisite. Flowers were seen all around and the trees were rich with green leaves.

Natalie looked for any benches under the shade. She was _not_ sitting on dirt.

The eight-year old finally found one and sat down, gratefully escaping the sun. She opened the shoulder bag she carried and pulled out a small black notebook. Natalie took out a pencil and flipped through the pages. She found a blank page and started drawing. It was a dress she had thought of earlier.

"What's that?"

The little girl turned around to see a boy behind the bench looking at her notebook curiously. He was around her age with green eyes and dirty blonde hair. Natalie wrinkled her nose at his clothes.

"It's none of your business, _peasant_" She said coldly.

The little boy looked confused at being called a peasant. He didn't know what it meant but it didn't sound very nice.

"I am not a pay-sant!"

"Its _peasant_, not pay-sant" Natalie corrected him getting annoyed "Go away"

The boy stood his ground.

"Fine, but I am not a peasant!"

"Yes you are; go away"

"No! I am not! I'm not going until you take it back!"

"I'm not going to take it back because it's true!"

"Who are you?"

Natalie was surprised. There was hardly anyone who didn't know her. Sure she wasn't an actress or one of those people on TV but she was the daughter of the Lucian branch leader. She was important. Her mother told her that every day; she was not just another ordinary person. No, she was Natalie Kabra and she was significant.

"You don't know me?"

"No, who are you?"

"I'm Natalie Kabra and I'm the Lucian branch leader's daughter. Soon I'll be the Lucian branch leader"

"I'm Dan. Dan Cahill"

Natalie had heard of this boy before. He was Daniel Cahill, grandson of the old lady hosting the Cahill Reunion.

"Whatever, go away Daniel"

"It's Dan! And what's that?" Daniel asked pointing to the notebook.

Natalie sighed irritably and replied,

"It's a notebook for my fashion collection"

"Collection?"

"Yes collection, collection of dresses and wonderful clothes that I drew myself"

"Are collections good?"

The little girl glared at him before answering,

"Of course. Why else would I have one?"

"For fun?"

"It's fun yes, but I do this because I'm quite good at it, and I know soon I'll be a fashion designer and they need collections"

"Do only fashion designers need collections?"

"No, anyone can but not everyone can be good at collecting. They have to know what they're collecting and father said they have to be unique. I do this because my collection is unique and it's wonderful"

Dan thought about this and decided to ask one more question from the dark-haired girl.

"Those people, the ones good at collecting, are they peasants?"

The little girl was horrified. Was this boy implying that _she_ was a peasant?

"No! Peasants are stupid and terribly unfashionable. They are not good at collecting or being collectors at all"

Just then there was a sound of bells ringing and someone announcing lunch time.

The two children perked up and they ran to the manor.

As he was running Dan thought about what Natalie said. He was _not_ a peasant and even if he was (for he wasn't really sure what the word meant exactly), he was going to prove Natalie wrong. He was going to be a collector, he decided, and he was going to be good at it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 Clues…in this world..


	2. Chapter 2

_Roses_

"Nellie dear, my love for you is like a rose" Amy Cahill read out from the Valentine's Day card.

"It wilts so easily" Nellie Gomez added with a disgusted look on her face.

"But Nellie! It's so sweet, maybe you should forgive him, he has been asking for three months now" Amy suggested holding out the card to the au pair who recoiled in disgust.

"_No way_, if Theodore," She spat out his name like a curse "is _really_ remorseful, he'd know that I don't fall for cheesy lines like that _and_ he also wouldn't have said 'Nellie dear'_" _The older girl said in a tone that suggested she thought that was the worst thing anyone could do.

Amy smiled wryly at her au pair's antics.

"Well okay then, I'll leave the card on the table, see you this afternoon" The redheaded Madrigal said before doing just that.

"See ya later kiddo" Nellie said with a wave, heading towards the door to drive to college.

The 17-year old watched her au pair leave and shut the front door behind her. Amy sighed at the forgotten card on the table and decided to slip it under Nellie's door later. She headed to the kitchen for a snack.

And found Dan munching on some cookies with one hand whilst pressing buttons on his iPhone frantically on the other. He looked to be concentrating. Probably something about a game or something equally frivolous again. Amy ignored him and grabbed a few cookies for herself before heading for her room.

_Ding Dong_

The Madrigal girl walked to the front door.

"Did you forget something again Nellie?"

She opened the door and got a surprise when she saw a bored-looking teenager standing before her, holding out a pizza box. Dan pushed past her and grabbed the box.

"Thanks, here keep the change" he said hurriedly giving the guy $30, before dashing off the kitchen.

Amy rolled her eyes. Ever since they started living with Uncle Fiske, Dan seemed to have won an unlimited pizza coupon or something. He just kept ordering them!

The teenager shrugged before putting the money in his pocket and leaving. Amy saw that the mailman had been behind him and she smiled hesitantly. The man looked kind and old, he had a fatherly look.

"A bouquet of flowers for-"

"Oh! Those must be for Nellie, here I'll take them" Amy unintentionally interrupted him and took the bouquet. The mailman smiled before heading off.

The girl took the flowers inside and closed the door behind her. Roses. _To go with the card probably_, Amy thought looking for the little card inside. She didn't expect what she saw inside.

It was a bouquet of flowers alright, not for Nellie though, for _her_. And it seemed they were from a certain British Lucian as well, if the constant callings of her as luv was to be counted. Amy felt confused. They hadn't seen each other in 12 months and suddenly he was sending her flowers?

"Hey Amy, guess what?" Dan yelled from the kitchen.

She walked over, "what?"

"Ian's in trouble" he said looking up at her.

"What? Why?"

"The Vespers tried to free his mother. He found out about their plans a few months ago and made a plan of his own. Apparently he tried to stop them and now, well, he's missing.."

The words felt like a punch to Amy's gut. Ian. He had known something was brewing and he didn't tell the rest of them. A cold shock rushed through Amy's body. _He's missing.._.

"Amy? Are you okay?" Dan studied his sister's face in concern. He always knew she had affections for Ian but he thought she got over them, especially with the arrival of Evan. Although, Evan and Amy had broken up a long time ago as well.

"Don't worry, everyone's looking for him and-"

"Dan, how long does it take to send a bouquet of flowers from England to here?"

Her brother stopped rambling for a few seconds before answering,

"A few months, why-" He stopped and saw the roses in her arms.

Amy looked stricken with grief. Her knuckles had turned as white as the roses in her grip. Dan stepped forward and pulled up a chair. Amy collapsed into it and looked down at the roses in her lap. The petals were shimmering. They were moist, from _her_ tears. The realisation shook her and Amy cried loudly, mourning the loss of a love she never knew she held in her heart.

Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 Clues…in this world..


	3. Chapter 3

_Free will_

Sinead looked at the object in her hand carefully. It was, quite honestly, simple. Just a little black book. No title, no decorations no embellishes, just a blank cover made of leather. Other than that, it had also been incredibly dusty. Sinead, being herself, had decided it was best to be hygienic and had therefore wiped off all the dust carefully with a damp cloth. Then she used a feather duster on it. And after that she even tried blow-drying it a bit just to make sure.

That's what happens when you're an Ekat. Especially with the Starling parents. You'd be forced to know all the different diseases and illnesses that you could get contaminated with from a small, black book.

Of course, it was even more complicated for Sinead. She had been contacted. Not in a good "Congratulations-you've-been-accepted-into-Harvard-way" way. No, it just couldn't have been that simple. Sinead Starling had been contacted in a bad way. She had been contacted by _them_. Vespers. They'd requested (more like _commanded_) her to become one of their spies. Sinead had refused of course. Vehemently. And continued to do so every time they asked her again. But they were descendants of Damien Vesper. And there was a reason why that name was feared.

They started threatening her family. At first Sinead stood firm, yes, she felt pangs of guilt every time she heard another Ekat had been injured, _reasons unknown_, but she stood firm. Then the Clue Hunt happened. Her brothers got injured. _Badly._ Ted ended up_ blind_ and Ned was suffering _migraines_. It was too soon. They _didn't _deserve it.

The Vespers sent her an email. She ought to have just deleted it. But she didn't. Sinead opened it. There was a picture of Ned and Ted. Bound and gagged. Sinead was terrified. She checked their rooms, the kitchen, outside, _everywhere._ But she didn't find them. And it was clear to her who had taken them. Sinead accepted the request.

She trained to be one of _them_. A vicious, merciless, _Vesper_. It took her every ounce of energy, yet she never stopped. Her brothers were in danger. And Sinead was the only one who cared enough to save them. After the Hunt, their parents, ashamed and unsatisfied with their children had ruthlessly dispatched them. Life was tough and after every Vesper training session Sinead's hate grew. But not for the Vespers, no, she hated the _Cahills_. Maybe they put something into her drink or poisoned her food. She didn't know, and _honestly?_ Sinead was tired of caring.

Then she was sent to kill Amy and Dan. And try as she might, Sinead couldn't get rid of the guilty feeling in her stomach. So she decided to try and keep her mind off it. Kept busy with work. And that was when she found the notebook. The little black notebook in her hand at the very moment. The notebook containing each and every thought of her ancestor. Katherine's own journal.

Sinead read it. And she found out more about the Ekat founder than she had reading numerous history books when she was younger. She found out about Katherine's thoughts. The events that transpired in her life. When Katherine met Patrick (her soon-to-be husband). When Katherine found another Clue. When Katherine was contacted by William. William _Vesper_. Damien Vesper's direct son and heir. William had given Katherine information about Luke's whereabouts. And she was interested. For as much as she wanted to avenge her parents, she had realised that she acted unjustly. And truth be told, Luke was her _brother_. She should have known he wouldn't do such a thing.

Then William forced her to act against her own will. It was a new drug. Concocted by the Vesper himself.

And as Sinead read the last few pages of the book, she realised something.

Maybe, loss of one's free will ran through the family.

The Ekat laughed humourlessly, for she knew she would end up the same way Katherine did. A traitor.


	4. Chapter 4

_Dreams_

Teen angst. In the past, Reagan would hear about it and roll her eyes. She didn't believe it was that big of a deal. After all, the people who would talk about the subject we're pretty dramatic and needy for attention. It was normal to think that "teen angst" was just an excuse to rant about absurd things. It always sounded overrated anyway.

But now, she sort of understood the concept, even just a little bit. It happened with her being a Holt. The family of outcasts in their own branch.

Yes, they were the black sheep of the Tomas, yes they were frowned upon and yes, it got to her sometimes. It all went back to the human nature inside her and Reagan knew that it was normal for her to feel constricted by the pressure, even just a little bit; otherwise she'd just be a merciless and unfeeling Lucian. And she wasn't, because her name was Reagan Holt, not Isabelle Kabra.

Still, most of the time, Reagan didn't care about what the other Tomases thought. Or even what the other Cahills in general thought. No, what really hurt was when it was her own, actual family frowning upon her. So what if she liked ballet? _It wasn't that stupid was it?_

The 13-year old sighed and looked up into the night sky above her. She was at a peace meeting with the Madrigals and Ekats. Well, something like that anyway, Reagan just went because it was compulsory for the Clue Hunters to be there. Apparently the Madrigals wanted to fix up the deep family feud the Tomas and Ekat had going on. That's all she heard anyway, Reagan had gone outside for some fresh air before Amy could explain more.

Currently, the girl was looking up at the starry sky above her as the landscape in front of her was hard to see in the night. The Holt was leaning against the banister of one of the numerous mini balconies of the ancient building.

Reagan felt a bit overwhelmed by the night sky. With all the thousands of stars dotting it, the girl felt insignificant below them. The 13-year old shook her head firmly. She was a Holt, and Holts don't get scared easily. It was just one of the family traits, an unspoken rule not meant to be broken. _Besides_,

Reagan looked guiltily at the handle beneath her arms,

_She had already broken one of the other unspoken rules. _

The girl felt her cheeks heat up in shame. The voice in her head was right; she had broken the rule. Ballet wasn't even full contact sport, it wasn't as tough as other sports.

Well, according to her family anyway, they didn't understand the ballet was tougher than it seemed. It took a lot of commitment and the competition was harsh and unforgiving. _Why can't they understand that? _Reagan was surprised to see a droplet of water on the banister beneath her. A second droplet soon joined the first and the girl angrily wiped them away.

* * *

Ted Starling looked awkwardly between his sister and Tomas. Harrington or something. The two were arguing fiercely, Sinead accusing and the other boy defending his family. The 16-year old sighed and decided to leave.

It was a few weeks after his surgery and the results were successful, he could see. Of course Ted still had to wear contacts but he was grateful. Losing his sight seemed like he was losing his mind as well. The Ekat couldn't see if his experiments worked or if his inventions did as they were meant to. He couldn't see the daily things that he used to be able to. Things he had taken advantage of.

Ted made his way outside. Ever since he got his sight back, the Starling appreciated looking out at the world in its true nature a whole lot more. It was simple and yet he knew that it wasn't quite so. That beneath the exterior of an ordinary sunrise was a range of difficult processes too complicated to fully grasp. And that in itself was beautiful.

Ted had always believed that the world and its inhabitants were like books. The covers unique and varied, so much so that sometimes when people looked at them, they thought they could already understand much more than they needed to. But Ted knew that if they just dug a little deeper they would find a life story that exceeded their expectations, a story that they'd find fascinating and cool. Of course, it was rare that people did more than just look at the surface but Ted knew that when they did. Then they'd find true friendship.

Which was why, when the boy saw the Holt girl looking broken and desolate, he decided to try and help.

"Hello" The 16-year old greeted politely.

"Hi." Reagan, he could remember her name from the brief time she helped him, replied flatly.

Ted stood beside her near the banister and looked up at the sky.

"It's wonderful isn't it" he spoke, half to himself.

"Hmm" she contemplated it.

"I mean, I never really used to do any stargazing, but now I don't understand why I didn't" The Starling explained himself honestly.

Reagan turned to look at him, "Why are you talking to me?"

Ted chuckled lightly, "Well, this _is_ a peace meeting between Tomases and Ekats."

The 13-year old looked dubious.

The boy looked back at her, straightened up and spoke quietly, "Besides, you looked like you needed someone to talk to."

Reagan turned away from him again, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Ted didn't believe it for one second, "Why were you crying?"

The girl didn't look back, "I wasn't."

The Ekat sighed and leaned over, wiping a water droplet off the banister between them, "What's this? Saliva?"

Reagan looked a bit disgusted before answering, "No. But I wasn't crying."

Ted leaned back, "My grandma didn't like anyone knowing that she cried either, I never saw her do it too but sometimes I heard. She was really tough but kind as well, not like my mother."

The Tomas finally looked fully at him again, "Are you comparing me to your grandma?"

The boy amended himself, "No, not intentionally."

Reagan sighed, "I know, I understand."

Ted looked up at the sky again, "The sky looks beautiful in this landscape."

The Holt looked up as well, "It kind of scares me."

The Starling looked back at her. "Sometimes the stars tend to make me feel unimportant as well."

Reagan bit her lip, "Yeah but aside from that, it feels like a life-changing dream or goal. I can just reach out and dive in, but I'm not sure if it's worth going against everything and everyone I know that's important to me."

Ted looked contemplative, "I think it's worth it, if it's that important you won't really be going against everything and everyone you know that's significant to you, it probably may seem like it at first but they'd understand sooner or later. _You're_ probably important to them too."

The Tomas looked at the Ekat, "You're alright Ted; I mean for an Ekat."

The boy looked back at the girl "I don't mind you either; being the Tomas that you are."

Reagan looked up at the sky, "It is wonderful, isn't it."

Ted looked up as well, "Yes, it really is."

Disclaimer: I don't own the 39 Clues…in this world..


End file.
